BSkyB is harnessing the size of its audiences and the power of the screen to communicate its sustainability goal to help create a better world.

With the motto "we believe in better", the company's sustainability plan is aptly named the Bigger Picture.

Television, of course, can influence social attitudes and behaviour. Sky says its strategy is not only to do the right thing across the business day to day, but to take its social and cultural influence to greater scale using its technology, channels and programming.

The judges made this award for sustainability communications impact because of the "transformative potential of Sky's work". They particularly liked the breadth of the communications that make up the company's Bigger Picture plan.

Sky focuses on four areas, to: inspire people to act against climate change; improve lives through sport; open up the arts; and raise the aspirations of young people in schools. The company says that in 2012 it gained considerable progress on all four campaigns, influencing 1.2 million people.

Common to all of the focus areas is Sky's ability to bring sustainability topics to life at scale – using its onscreen and online channels, engaging employees and working effectively in partnership with charities to ensure a measurable impact.

Sky's Bigger Picture plan employs a team of 10 people, who work with a number of charity partners. These include Youth Sport Trust, World Wildlife Fund, British Cycling. Arts partners include Tate Liverpool, the Victoria and Albert Museum and several literature festivals.

These carefully chosen partners mirror the four cornerstones on which Sky's agenda is anchored. A range of successful campaigns are complemented by marketing, communications and community expertise and involvement.

The company invests in creating local events in which people can readily get involved. For example, more than 20,000 cyclists took part in Sky Ride events – run in partnership with British Cycling – during 2012.

As a broadcaster, Sky is also able to use its reach to raise environmental issues, increase viewer awareness and inspire people to act. A prime example is the twice yearly screening of dedicated rainforest programming.

Expert and elite endorsement is central to the company's communications programme. As well as Attenborough's Rainforest series, Sky works with elite cyclists Sir Chris Hoy, Mark Cavendish and Laura Trott to increase participation in cycling across Britain and Ireland, and get people of all ages to take up the sport for fun and fitness.

The company says that – on average in 2012 – every pound it invested provided 15% extra in-kind value from free promotional air time on Sky channels.

Future success at Sky depends on long-term relationships with millions of families across the UK and Ireland, says the broadcaster. It understands that customers are increasingly opting for goods and services that reflect their greener values and make a positive contribution to society.

Equally, Sky's content, technology and business activity has a social role to play. The goal is to achieve sustainable success in a sustainable society. To do that, Sky wants its programming to act as a window on the world, reflecting the society its viewers live in, their concerns and aspirations.

So what has the Bigger Picture achieved?

Sky and British Cycling reached their collaborative "one million more cyclists" target when more than 322,000 more people starting cycling regularly in 2012. The target was set in 2009 and achieved a year earlier than planned, thanks to Sky Ride events across the country and elite cyclist involvement.

Sky Ride has helped to build the cycling industry, contributed to health and wellbeing and, according to the London School of Economics, even been instrumental in helping to reduce absenteeism. A knock-on effect has been the economic impact of cycling's increased popularity. The sector now generates over £2.9bn in the UK, equating to £230 for every cyclist in the country.

Through its schools programme, Sky claims to have inspired more than 50,000 young people to take part in sport. Sky Sports Living for Sport reached 18,300 school children in 2012. Research shows improvements in attitudes to learning (63%) and self confidence (87%) among participants.

In the creative arts, the Sky Arts Ignition series created new works in partnership with various arts organisations and enabled more than 77,000 people to view them.

Sky Rainforest Rescue, in partnership with WWF, has helped more than 1,000 families in Brazil make a living from the forest. Sky is supporting the development of viable markets for rainforest products and more than 360,000 people in the UK now donate regularly to the scheme.

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